The mysterious case of the disappearing litter bins

Trafford Council or perhaps Amey, Waste Treatment and Collection Services, seems to be on a drive to remove litter bins.

Before the local elections in May 2018, there were six litter bins on Seamons Road in Altrincham. Less than a year later we only have one litter bin.

It all started with the bin outside the Post Office being replaced with a Trio Bin, the council then took the opportunity to remove the bins near the chippy and the bus shelter, both places that need a litter bin.

This was followed a few months later by the removal of the bin by the NISA shop. Obviously with three bins removed the others were regularly full.

A freedom of information request revealed when the bins outside the post office and Alstone Drive (nearest litter bin to Trans-Pennine Trail and Bridgewater Way) were scheduled to be emptied daily, the others every three days.

Fast forward a couple of months and the litter bin on Alstone Drive disappears.

Another letter to one of our local councillors, who seem to unable to do anything about the missing bins. Then 2019 starts with the removal of the litter bin near Seamons Walk.

To add insult to injury Trafford council have now posted “Bag it Bin it” on our lamp posts and the bus shelter, our message to Trafford council is give us our bins back and we will.

Litter Bins are scheduled to be checked every one, two or three days, but there is no measurement of whether this is achieved, and therefore no penalties in the contact with Amey if the litter bins are not emptied to the schedule.

But you can report a bin full or overflowing to Trafford either by phone or on the report it website, the target is for full or overflowing bins to be emptied with two working hours.

If 95 per cent of the litter bins are not emptied within this two hour target then Amey will incur penalties for failing to meet this key performance indicator.

Trafford Council Press office and one of the Altrincham Councillors have been approached for a comment to go with this article, but neither have responded.

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